Workout with the celebs

More celebrity fitness videos are sold in post hedonistic January than at any other time of year. But can they really help you get fit? Here, with fitness expert Nicki Waterman, we assess the bestsellers ...

Zoe Lucker's Little Black Dress Workout

VHS £14.99, DVD £19.99

Regime: The star of Footballers' Wives, with her trainer Niki Wilbrow, scores a hat trick with three failed dieters (although they are not shown doing any of the exercises) so they can fit into their LBDs. Shot in and around Knebworth House to give it that nouveau Essex vibe, Zoe sweats it out in sexy workout gear before shimmying into her (very revealing) LBD.

Nicki's fitness verdict: Zoe and Niki are undoubtedly very fit and have great bodies, but you could do this video until the cows come home and you won't end up looking like them. It is sold as a pick 'n' mix routine with five separate workouts, but the warm-up routine isn't too different from the dance routine and the boxing section is pure cardio with no resistance work. There are no exercises for bottoms or thighs and the yoga section is standard post-exercise stretches.

Play or pause? Stick to your aerobics class. You'll stand more chance of slipping into your LBD.

Everyday Pilates, with Lynne Robinson and Fern Britton
VHS £12.99, DVD £14.99

Regime: Sold as the world's best-selling Pilates instructor putting the UK's favourite TV presenter through her stretches, Lynne and Fern work their way through an energising morning workout, a reviving midday one and a calming evening one.

Nicki's fitness verdict: Lynne is a great Pilates instructor. Her explanation of the movements and the reasons why you should do them are second to none, but if you're looking to be challenged, this isn't your workout. It's ultra-simple and a lot of the movements are what I would do in an aerobics class as a stretch. Great to see Fern exercising and enjoying it, though

Play or pause? Great for the elderly or the overweight, but if you want to stretch yourself further, check out Lynne's more advanced videos.

Penny Lancaster Ultimate Body Workout
VHS £12.99, DVD £14.99

Regime: Penny kicks off by telling us that her life is focused on fitness and health, while the video treats us to shots of her having her make-up done, eating fruit and lazing perfectly on the sofa. Promising us "kicking" music and a great workout, qualified aerobics instructor Penny, her brother (also a fitness instructor) and his girlfriend, exercise and dance their way to the body beautiful.

Nicki's fitness verdict: Penny looks great, but that's all. It looks like she shot this routine when she had a spare half hour and nothing else to do. The squats aren't proper squats, the lunges aren't full lunges and it goes from simple to advanced with nothing in between. The stomach work is tough compared to the rest of the exercises and not well instructed. Penny didn't get her body working out to this video.

Play or pause? Great for the dads, but not for anyone really trying to shape up.

Michael Van Straten's 10-Day Detox with Kim Wilde
VHS £12.99, DVD £14.99

Regime: Kim admits that her busy life as a wife, mother and professional gardener has taken a toll on her body. To the rescue comes naturopath Michael Van Straten, who helps purge her body of processed nasties and puts her on a 10-day plan to gain energy and lose weight. At the end of each day we get a Bridget Jones-style diary reading from Kim.

Nicki's fitness verdict: Only a true A-lister could follow this plan. You would need a housekeeper to buy fresh vegetables and produce every day and a chef to whip up every meal. Michael comes up with a few interesting nuggets (a can of Coke has 11tsp of sugar, for example) and Kim comes across as genuine, but, with no fat-burning exercises, it's hardly enough to get you fit.

Play or pause? Unless you like eating prunes and steamed veg with very little movement (apart from the bowels), this probably isn't the fitness plan for you.

Linda Barker's Simple Yoga
VHS £12.99, DVD £17.99

Regime: The face of too many commercials reveals that yoga helped her prepare for the challenges of jungle life in I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here!. Shot in tranquil gardens, this hatha yoga programme, created by Linda and Izzy Valenti from the British School Of Yoga, promises to help you lose weight, tone up and stay relaxed.

Nicki's fitness verdict: I loved this video. It's obvious that Linda takes her yoga seriously and she looks fabulous. It is well instructed, the postures are nice to do and the programme is designed so that you can work at your own pace. Perfect for the beginner.

Play or pause? It has the potential to make yoga part of your life.

Wayne Sleep's Workout VHS £12.99. DVD £17.99

Regime: Wayne promises a flat tum, a bottom that doesn't sag plus fabulously toned arms and legs. "Baby, it will tone up your body and will get you noticed walking down the street," he trills.

Nicki's fitness verdict: this workout is great fun to do and brilliant to watch and Wayne's tuition is superb. There are six different workouts that target problem areas - underarms and thighs, for example. It's very safe and although a bit gimmicky in parts (Wayne straps rice to his feet for weights), it is a motivational workout and Wayne is very likeable.

Play or pause? A great energetic workout for beginners.

Liberty X Toned
VHS £12.00. DVD £14.99

Regime: The girls from Liberty X jet off to Spain with their choreographer for a beach workout to teach us some "wicked moves".

Nicki's fitness verdict: Funky teenage dance routine that's very low-impact and won't leave you in a sweat. The most it will do is get you up off the couch.

Play or pause? Pass it onto someone younger unless you fancy doing the "funky monkey".

Anne Diamond: A New You
VHS £14.99. DVD £19.99

Regime: When Anne Diamond exited the Celebrity Big Brother House and saw the press photos, she was shocked at how fat she had become. Post Big Brother, she has become determined to dump her lumps and bumps and has been busy "finding the new me" with life coach Jason Vale, who gives advice on food and exercise and help with motivation.

Anne thanks his programme for helping her love herself and getting her "well on her way to becoming a neat size 12". She actually has some way to go, but it's a start.

Nicki's fitness verdict: This video tries to cram too much information into too little time and doesn't cover anything in any great detail. The nutritional advice is very textbook - telling us that refined and processed foods are bad is hardly breaking news - the exercise routine doesn't cover all body parts and the stomach exercises are very advanced with no support for the head and neck.

Crucially, there's no mention of "incidental" exercise, such as walking, which overweight people should fit into their lifestyle daily. Plus Anne's clothing advice should be left to the professional eye of Trinny and Susannah.

Play or pause? Unless you're an Anne Diamond fan, there are far better videos out there packed with better advice and moves.

Nell McAndrew Maximum Impact

VHS £12.99, DVD £17.99

Regime: Nell is back with her second exercise video and sweats it out around a pool in Miami with her trainer and a handful of fitness fanatics. The film is split into sections to condition, strengthen and tone the whole body. Apart from a short introduction where Nell promises that this programme is "easy to follow and very effective", she doesn't utter a single word, leaving what dialogue there is to her trainer.

Nicki's fitness verdict: Nell is one fit lady, but this is a programme that doesn't let up. Think of the old Jane Fonda "go-for-the-burn" videos. This is a very high-impact workout that will have you panting for breath even after the warm-up. It starts off challenging and ends up challenging. Most people wouldn't be able to do it and the instruction is poor. The stomach exercises are very advanced and you could wind up with back and neck problems. For the already fit only.

Play or pause? If you've got your sights on becoming the next Lara Croft, go for it. Otherwise, don't bother.

Catch Nicki Waterman and her team giving advice on GMTV's Inch-Loss Island.